Introduction

Working with PC

This product supports Windows 10/8.1/8/7 OS. For the Windows 10/8.1/8 OS, the touch screen supports multi-touch up to 5 points. For some Window 7 OS, the touch screen supports single touch only.

Turn on the "backlight" switch then connect the LCD to your PC (USB Port of LCD -> USB Port of PC; HDMI Port of LCD -> HDMI Port of PC. Please first connect the USB Ports then connect the HDMI Port). A new touch drive will be recognized by Windows and you can use the LCD as a human interface device. When multiple displays are detected by your PC, the LCD can only be used to control the cursor on main display. So it is proposed to set the LCD as the main display.

Working with Raspberry Pi

For the Windows OS on PC, the resolution of the LCD is automatically identified. Hence, you do not need to make the relative settings. When working with Raspberry Pi, you should set the resolution of the LCD by yourself, or else the LCD screen will not work. For more detail information, please read the following section.

Turn on the "backlight" switch then connect the LCD to your Pi (HDMI Port of LCD -> HDMI Port of Pi; USB Port of LCD -> USB Port of Pi; 5V~2A power supply). Download the Raspbian image from Raspberry Pi web site. Write the image to a TF card and append the following lines to the config.txt file which is located in the root of your TF card:

You must make sure that there are no spaces on either side of the equal sign.

Save and connect the TF card to your Pi then power up.

(Touch input working well means that the LED firmware is Rev2.1. If the LCD firmware is 1.1, see #About LCD revision)

Note:

Resolution of Ubuntu Mate OS or Windows 10 IoT Core OS can also be set properly by editing config.txt.

For Pi Zero / Zero W: if you've used an SD card on a Pi 3 and then attached the card to the Pi Zero, the touch screen often doesn't work. In such cases, you have to write a fresh system image to the SD card. The first boot up must be done on the Pi Zero but not Pi 3, due to initialization for a corresponding device.

About LCD revision

An LCD with Rev 2.1 firmware does not require any drivers, that is, touch function works properly without installing any software. So we did not provide any drivers and images for Rev 2.1 LCDs. The following drivers are only available for the LCD with Rev 1.1 firmware. But if you install the driver to the Rev 2.1 one, it will lead touch function not to work.

Rev2.1 New Features

Upgrade to IPS screen, wider viewing angle, more clear displaying.

Standard HID protocol, easy to be integrated into your system.

For the Raspberry Pi, supports Raspbian, Ubuntu Mate, single touch, and driver free.

When work as a computer monitor, supports Windows 10/8.1/8/7, five-points touch, and driver free.

Rev1.1 and before

For the Raspberry Pi, comes with Raspbian driver (works with your Raspbian directly), and Ubuntu image.

When work as a computer monitor, touch function is unavailable.

How to distinguish

See the backside of your LCD. The Revision number "Rev2.1" printed means that the LCD firmware is Rev 2.1.

However, "Rev1.1" printed on the backside doesn't mean that the LCD firmware must be Rev 1.1. Generally speaking, a LCD shipped after January 1, 2016 may be a Rev 2.1 one, although it was printed "Rev1.1".

Note:
The only difference between Rev 1.1 and Rev 2.1 is the firmware, but hardware solutions, placement and routing are all the same. (PCB printings might be different due to different production batches.)

You can verify the firmware by these steps:

1. Using Raspberry Pi: Connect the LCD to your Pi (HDMI Port of LCD -> HDMI Port of Pi; USB Port of LCD -> USB Port of Pi; 5V~2A power supply). Download the image, e.g. Raspbian, from Raspberry Pi web site. Write the image to a TF card and add the following code to the end of /boot/config.txt:

You must make sure that there are no spaces on either side of the equal sign.

Save and connect the TF card to your Pi then power up. If touch works, that means the firmware revision is Rev 2.1.

2. Without Raspberry Pi: A PC (Windows 10/8.1/8/7) is required which cannot connect with other display device. Connect the LCD to your PC (USB Port of LCD -> USB Port of PC; HDMI Port of LCD -> HDMI Port of PC. Please first connect the USB Ports then connect the HDMI Port). If a new touch drive is recognized by Windows, that means the firmware revision is Rev 2.1. In this case, after the driver successfully installed, you can use the LCD as a human interface device.

If the touch function doesn't work properly after these steps, the firmware revision is often Rev 1.1, which can also work by other methods, see Rev 1.1 Manual.

Detailed infomation

Depending on the firmware, please view the instructions of different revision:

3D Drawings

LCD Panel Dimension

Anti-Piracy

Since the first-generation Raspberry Pi released, Waveshare has been working on designing, developing, and producing various fantastic touch LCDs for the Pi. Unfortunately, there are quite a few pirated/knock-off products in the market. They're usually some poor copies of our early hardware revisions, and comes with none support service.

To avoid becoming a victim of pirated products, please pay attention to the following features when purchasing: